‘Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ is franchise’s third best UK launch

Published: March 6, 2017 09:38 PM GMT+8

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'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' sets players free to explore a vast kingdom and its secrets. — Picture courtesy of Nintendo via AFP-Relaxnews SAN FRANCISCO, March 6 — As the most visible supporter of Nintendo’s new home and portable console, the Switch, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” has become the UK’s third biggest “Zelda” launch.

At the launch of the Nintendo Switch console, UK sales of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” are behind two other franchise entries on a home console, according to GfK Chart-Track‘s weekly ranking.

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” launched over a year into the life of the Nintendo GameCube upon its Japanese and North American debuts, and was later a launch title in Europe and Australia.

By contrast, “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” was day and date with the Nintendo Wii, late 2006, where it outsold the GameCube version.

Like “Twilight Princess,” “Breath of the Wild” has been made available for two consoles simultaneously as Nintendo transitions home console hopes from the Wii U to the more portable Switch.

Switch versions of the game accounted for some 78 per cent of the title’s sales.

Also in the UK, GamesIndustry.Biz estimates 80,000 opening weekend sales of the Switch itself, around double of its Wii U predecessor, though about a third of the PlayStation 4’s equivalent 250,000 units and just over half of the Xbox One’s 150,000 unit launch weekend sales.

“Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was prevented from becoming the UK’s top-selling title for the week by PlayStation 4 exclusive “Horizon: Zero Dawn.”

Likewise, “Horizon: Zero Dawn” remains the UK’s biggest video game launch of the year to date, with “Breath of the Wild” in second place behind it. — AFP-Relaxnews